LONE PARENT WANTING TO DO A DEGREE

Hi as new law comes in and not in work by age 7 income support is stopped and job seekers is in place. my daughter just turned 4 so i want to do a degree.

the thing is i'm worrying if I could afford to study for teacher training degree. I did a year at uni but dropped out when I had my daughter because I weren't entitled to any benfits or nothing for baby while I was student also I wanted to take time off with my daughter being a single mum. my friend was in similar situation and just started her degree and cos she dropped out have been refused funding. now she is appealing?? now i'm worried because government moans about people on benefits but when i try and make the right step forward for me and my daughter barriers are put up?? does anyone have knowledge on being student and how much help with anything like rent. if appeal against funding would they accept having a baby as an excuse. sorry i'm in a rush and this is not making sense.. grrr. shame there no jobs in school hours. i might add I have 2 A's and B a levles so qulaifications getting back into uni are not problem got to say I am more focussed at 23 then I was at 18 xxxx

Have you thought about doing an open university degree? You would get it all paid for if you are a single parent and if you aren't working at present.I am just completing mine with the intention of doing one yr's teacher training next year; I am a lone parent with 2 children (but I work full time too at the mo)

Normally with the Open Uni it takes 6yrs part time, but only 3 yrs if you do it full time.

You may need to just sort out your written English a tiny bit first before you go into teaching though - sorry don't mean to be unkind, just trying to help.

I'm surprised that you weren't entitled to benefits as a student. I had dd at the end of my first year as an undergraduate and got along fine with student loans and grants, tax credit and housing benefit. I don't understand how they can refuse funding? Unless it is because you have dropped out once already? I went back to full time study when dd was 2 months old but it was all doable. Have to agree with the written English comment though, and be aware that a teacher training course may not b best, especially if you can't drive-you have no real control over where they put you on placements and school pickups could be a problem. Have you tried getting a job? Before I was made redundant this year I had a full time job and got by fine. Agree thta at school age rather than nursery the hours become a problem, but there are childminders who do school drop offs and pick ups. The one thing I don't agree with though, as far as the government goes, is not being able to claim income support as a lone parent if you study full timne- they class your student loan as an income which is just ludicrous

I second the OU - part tine, you could do it in evenings only, after your DD is in bed. Im only at level one, but 1/2 hour 6 days a week is sufficient, with the exception of the week or two before an essay is due!

Also, if you completed a full year, you may be able to transfer your credits over to the OU.

I have been in a similar situation to you and started my degree with the OU two years ago. I've still got two years to go but I'm really enjoying the courses. If you are studying with the OU and claiming IS/JS then you will carry on receiving your benefits plus get all of your course fees payed for. On top of this you receive £255 towards learning materials (normally just stationary) and if you need a computer and don't have one then you can get a computer grant for £250. If you are on JS you will still be expected to look for work but at least you'll be getting financial help.If you want to teach at a secondary level I would advise you to take a named degree that you are interested in and then take a PGCE after so that you keep your options open.

thank you I haven't got computer at home so took so long to get back to you all. I was in rush posting my previous post but I got to say that I'm not thick i'm more used to writting texting style. I been out of education 4 years so getting back into the swing of it. i was thinking nursery teacher or primary school. I would prefer under age of 7. i'm not cut out for secondary school.

OU sounds good. I imagined I would be worse off. I know nothing about it mind but I assumed you had to be working to do a OU course?? or you couldn't manage finincially wise

I did drop out I completed my first year but was told by job centre to claim anything I would have to withdraw from my course, the father didn't help financially and I needed to buy stuff for the baby ((( I should of stuck with it but I got scared and also no family around me to care for baby.

how does this ou work??? job centre will be ok with that even when I got to transfer to job seekersxx